UT football: Running backs breakdown

Johnathan Gray was the Horns leading rusher in 2012. (Stephen Spillman/Associated Press)

AUSTIN — For the fifth consecutive season, Texas failed to produce a 1,000-yard rusher in 2012. And for the fifth consecutive season, the Longhorns failed to crack the nation’s Top 20 in rushing yards. Their 171-yards-per-game average placed them 53rd nationally and only sixth in the pass-happy Big 12.

Still, the Longhorns believe they are on the verge of unleashing one of college football’s premiere running attacks. Here’s a breakdown of how they plan to do it:

UT returns the same three ballyhooed tailbacks it used last season, but this fall the hierarchy has changed. Sophomore Johnathan Gray, who led all Longhorns rushers with 701 yards last season, is now the No. 1 option. That’s not necessarily because he’s the most talented — which he might be — but rather because coaches believe they can count on him.

The staff still holds junior Malcolm Brown in high regard, but he has spent much of his first two years in Austin struggling to stay on the field due to injury problems. After spraining his ankle at Oklahoma State, doctors initially said he’d be recovered in a couple of weeks. Instead, he sat out five consecutive games, and wasn’t much of a factor when he returned. He has the body and the skill set to be a workhorse, but he needs to stay on the field.

As for Joe Bergeron? He scored 16 touchdowns as a sophomore, but coaches would like to see him stay in better shape before they consistently use him as a featured back. He might end up becoming more of a short-yardage specialist, a role at which he’s built to excel.

Then there are the ball-carriers who offensive coordinator Major Applewhite will attempt to utilize at positions other than tailback. Jalen Overstreet, the converted quarterback, will get some practice repetitions at tailback, but he’ll also get a look at the slot position along with Daje Johnson.

Johnson, a sophomore, is a player for whom the Longhorns need to find more opportunities to run in space. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry and 15.1 yards per catch last season, but touched the ball only 46 times in 12 games.